Page 104 of The Story of Us
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Nate was sittingwith Raff when Eloise finally made her way over to him. Her dress was a little creased and her skin was flushed. Wisps of hair had escaped her fancy hairstyle, and they fluttered around her face as she walked.
Jesus Christ, she was gorgeous.
“Hey,” she said, and the word flowed over his skin like molten chocolate, all warm and velvety smooth.
Raff stood and buttoned his suit jacket. “If you’ll excuse me, there’s someone I’d like to talk to,” he said.
Nate shook his head. “That was subtle.”
Eloise drew her bottom lip into her mouth, sinking her top teeth into it, and Nate wanted to use his thumb to pull it free. Press his lips against hers. But he was back to doing his damnedest to earn her kisses. He’d spend the rest of his life doing that if she’d let him.
“He gets it from your mum.”
A chuckle escaped Nate, and he gestured to the empty seat next to him.
But Eloise shook her head and remained standing. “I finished your book,” she said.
He swallowed and stood up, facing Eloise. This would either go one of two ways. She might be creeped out and decide it was fucking weird to write what was basically a choose-your-own-adventure story of how he wanted his life to look. Or, hopefully, she’d see it for what it was. A clumsy attempt to work through everything that had held him back. And, more importantly, what he now realised was actually possible. What he’d never stop fighting for. “And?” he asked.
Eloise’s eyes darkened as she stepped closer to him. Without speaking, she lifted her hand to Nate’s and linked their fingers together.Holy shit,it was good to touch her again.
“I loved it.”
His shoulders drooped, and he yanked her closer until she was in his arms. “Yeah?” he whispered against her vanilla-scented hair.
Eloise pulled back to look at him. “I really loved it, but I have a few questions. Why isn’t there an ending?”
Jemima Jenkins had asked Nate that as well, but he’d lied and said he just hadn’t written it yet. If it was possible, he’d never write it. “Because if this is our story, then we need to write it together. And I don’t want it to ever end. With your help, I’d like to keep adding chapters and adventures to it forever.”
It had been a long time since Nate had told anyone that he wasn’t related to that he loved them. And it was scary but the fear that he’d fuck it all up or she’d change her mind wasn’t enough to stop him from going after what he wanted. Not anymore. And he wanted Eloise. Today, tomorrow and forever. There was no one else he wanted to ride the rollercoaster of life with. And grow and change and do all the things that would come when he shared his life with her. But before he could speak, Eloise cut him off, her finger pressed to his lips.
“I’m not done.” She gestured to the chair he’d been sitting on. “Can we sit still together?”
He sat and pulled the chair next to him closer, but Eloise surprised him, sitting on his lap. His big hands rested on her hips; her arms were around his neck.
Now he was finally home.
“I know we agreed to not have labels before, but I really liked those labels in your book.”
Joy flowed throughout his chest, spreading through his limbs like warm honey.
“Because, Nate, sweetheart, I want it all. The good, the bad and the in-between.” Her gaze never left his, and Nate reached up to brush a lock of hair out of her eyes.
“What you said about kids yesterday—” She paused, and Nate forgot to breathe for a second. “I do want them. Not any time soon but eventually. And that’s something we’ll need to talk about, but after reading your book, I think you do, too.”
Admitting that Eloise was right was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do, and words were still too hard, the pain too raw, so all-encompassing that he had to suck in several deep breaths before he could move his head and nod.
“Then we’ll find a way. We will always find a way. Adoption, IVF, fostering … I don’t care, Nate. Whatever the road to parenthood is, we’ll walk it together when we’re ready. We just have to make a promise to stay still together when things are tough. To talk and not shut down because I can’t do another week like this one. Thinking I’d lost you …”
Nate leant back just far enough so Eloise could see his face. All the sounds in the busy ballroom faded away. “I promise not to run ever again or be scared to tell you and the world how much I love you. Because I do, you know. Love you. So much,” he said.
“I know.” Eloise smiled. “I love you, too, obviously. I think we should make a deal.”
Nate nudged her nose with his, and Eloise shifted on his lap, her breath sliding across his neck. “A deal, huh?”
“No more secrets. Lots of talking. Being on the same team.”
